"[He it is Who has sent down to you the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific]." Mujahid's exegesis: "They are the foundation of the Book," meaning: what it contains of the lawful and the prohibited, and what is besides that is of the unspecific (Mutashabih). "[So as for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth]]," the verse. Al-Hasan used to say: It was revealed concerning the Khawarij. Al-Hasan said: The meaning of "seeking discord (fitnah)" is seeking misguidance. Muhammad said: The word fitnah is used in various ways; the way that these people sought was the corruption of relations in religion, and the meaning of "deviation (zaygh)" is injustice and turning away from the intended path.
Yahya narrated from al-Harith ibn Nabhan, from Ayyub, from Abdullah ibn Abi Mulaykah, from Ibn Abbas: "That the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recited this verse and said: 'If you see those who argue about it, they are the ones whom Allah has named; so if you see them, do not sit with them,' or he said: 'Beware of them.'"
﴿هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكتاب وَأخر متشابهات﴾ تَفْسِير مُجَاهِد: ﴿هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ﴾، يَعْنِي: مَا فِيهِ من الْحَلَال وَالْحرَام، وَمَا سوى ذَلِك مِنْهُ الْمُتَشَابه. ﴿فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زيغ﴾ الْآيَة. كَانَ الحَسَن يَقُولُ: نزلت فِي الْخَوَارِج. قَالَ الحَسَن: وَمعنى ﴿ابْتِغَاء الْفِتْنَة﴾: طلب الضَّلَالَة. قَالَ مُحَمَّد: الْفِتْنَة تتصرف عَلَى ضروب؛ فَكَانَ الضَّرْب الَّذِي ابتغاه هَؤُلاءِ إِفْسَاد ذَات الْبَين فِي الدِّين، وَمعنى ﴿الزيغ﴾: الْجور، والميل عَنِ الْقَصْد.
يَحْيَى: عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ نَبْهَانَ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: ((أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ تَلا هَذِهِ الآيَةَ، فَقَالَ: إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِيهِ، فَهُمُ الَّذِينَ سَمَّى اللَّهُ؛ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُمْ، فَلا تُجَالِسُوهُمْ، أَوْ قَالَ: احْذَرُوهُمْ)).
